AUSTIN 2010 - THE DEFINING MOMENTS!

Moments of joy, happiness, unhappiness, grief and sorrow occur in every being’s life, even other than human. Some moments, however, transcend all the known emotions and lift the being to a level of sublime ethereality. Such moments do not occur in every one’s life. Baba was kind enough to bless me with such moments in his temple at Austin.

We started at 07.50 am from Alma Road in Richardson, Dallas. The distance to Inner Space Cavern at Georgetown was 190 miles and could be covered in nearly three hours. My son was driving his Odyssey with all of us in the vehicle. We had a breakfast break at Hillsboro. By then we had traveled for an hour and 45 minutes. After the upma break, we continued on the I-35 and took Exit 259 at Georgetown. The Inner Space Cavern does not look impressive from outside. The cavern was discovered by the Texas Highway Department in 1963 during the construction of I - 35. There were several large openings to the caverns during the Ice Age, and several skeletons of prehistoric Ice-Age animals have been found in the caverns; many were trapped in the cave after they fell through the opening, unable to escape, and others drowned in thick, quicksand-like mud at the bottom of watering holes. Some filled-in sinkholes have been found, including the prehistoric entrance to the caverns. Several miles of cave passage have been surveyed, with many sections of the cave remaining unexplored, due to filled-in areas blocking passage.

The caverns were carved by water passing through Edwards limestone. The caverns are estimated to be 90–100 million years old but were only open to the surface since the late Pleistocene period 20,000–45,000 years ago, evidenced by finds of mammoth and saber-toothed cat bones. All natural entrances closed approximately 14,000 years ago.

The cave was opened to the public in 1966. Visitors enter via cable car which is lowered into the cave. Three different levels of tours are available, ranging from a basic guided tour to guided spelunking, with over 1.2 miles of passage being open to the public. However, non-public passages are well-guarded and independent exploration is not allowed. The only known entrance to the caverns today is the one into which the cable car is lowered, which was created by dynamite blasts. Some of the caves are more than 70’ below the ground level.


After a stay of nearly two hours, we left the Cavern for Shirdi Sai Baba temple at Cedar Park. The distance was 16 miles and could be covered in 22 minutes. It is one of the most spacious temples I have seen. The temple covers a little over four acres in a land of 9 acres. The temple is not a copy of the Samadhi Mandir at Shirdi, but an attempt is made to interpret the same principles in design.. The most obvious similarities are the kalashas and the gopuram above the sanctuary. The main thought on which this temple is designed is to create a reverence for the murthi of Baba. The sanctuary is planned in accordance with both universal geometric principles and auspicious dimensions. Semi circular arches oriented to the cardinal directions create a vaulted ceiling over the cube shaped sanctuary. Baba is positioned such that the crown of his head is at the centre of this pure cubic volume, and is framed in the four directions by the arches of the intersecting vaults. The mid point of these vaults, seen from within the temple as crossing of the diagonal intersecting lines, is immediately above the murthi of Baba on the same vertical line that passes through both the geometric centre of the sanctuary and the central axis of the kalashas above. The whole composition speaks of harmony and of divine order.

The temple is founded by Sri Craig Sastry (formerly Craig Edwards) and his wife Jill Sastry. When we neared the temple, I was afraid that the temple would be closed as it was already 01.45pm. Baba was kind enough and we entered into the temple, little knowing what was in store for us. After we did the pradakshina and took the teertham and Prasadam from the purohit, I wanted to take some photos of Baba. Baba’s smile was very pleasant and I really could not take my eyes off him. However, the purohit prevented us from taking any photographs. Frankly, I was disappointed. Silently, I told Baba, “Look, Baba! I have come from so far, and you are not even allowing me to take your photo. Before I leave this temple, I would like to have your photo”

My wife wanted to give the English version of Sri Sai Satcharitra to the temple. On enquiry, the purohit asked us to talk to an American lady sitting in the office room. I was, as usual, very apprehensive. We went in to the office room and found that there were many others also sitting there and talking to the lady. Two of them were Indians. So, I made a request to them about the book. One of them was Sri Billimoria. He was very friendly and said that Craig wanted to get the books. The discussion, naturally, was then directed to Baba, and we spent some time discussing various aspects about Baba and the Sai Satcharitra. Meanwhile, the American lady had called her husband who came almost immediately. We were introduced to each other. The American lady was Jill Sastry and her husband was Craig Sastry. When I told Craig that Smt Vani Amma had asked us to visit the Austin Temple, Craig recollected Smt Vani Amma’s visit to the temple last year and how she even gave a lecture. Then he took us round the temple and explained the various intricacies involved in the design. He took us to the fish pond and told about the efficacy of Vaastu. As a special gesture, he performed arati and offered naivedyam to Baba on our behalf. I was amazed at the clear diction and the correct way in which he chanted the mantras. He has an abundant knowledge of temple construction, Hindu culture, scriptures and the ritual aspects also. He also told me that they are all eagerly expecting 19 June, when a great miracle would take place in the temple. Then came one of Baba’s Instant Miracles! Without my asking, his wife Jill asked Craig, “As a special occasion, why not we have a photograph with Baba?” and Craig immediately gave his consent. Once again, Baba had answered my prayers. Before we left the temple, my son took some photos of all of us. Then, Craig took us to the office room, honoured us by draping with shawls. He gave us one of the shawls draped on Baba as a gift. My eyes were moist with the kindness shown to me by Baba. My wife observed that Jill also was undergoing similar emotions. Those glorious moments and the sublime bliss I enjoyed at that time have become the defining moments of my life. I could not have asked for anything more from Baba. With a very heavy heart, we then moved on to Barsana Dham.

After the Baba temple, we had to find Madras Pavillion as it was high time for lunch. Unfortunately, that took plenty of time. The Madras Pavillion is on a one way street on the blind side of the road. We went circled three to four times, and finally we could locate it. We spent an hour fueling ourselves. The Barsana Dham is a Radha Krishna mandir, with an exquisite ambience. The temple and ashram complex of Barsana Dham is situated on a beautiful 200 acre property. Designed as a representation of the holy land of Braj in India where Shree Radha Rani and Shree Krishna appeared about 5,000 years ago, all the important holy places of Braj like Govardhan, Radha Kund, Prem Sarovar, Shyam Kuti and Mor Kuti are represented in Barsana Dham where the natural stream, named Kalindi, represents the Yamuna river of Vrindaban. It is the main U.S. center of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat. With the Gracious blessing of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, Barsana Dham was established by H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati in 1990.

The ambience is enriched with fountains and plenty of peacocks. By the time we left Barasana Dham it was 06.50 pm. We then took the long trail back to Alma Road, and we were home around 10.45pm. It was tiring day for the kids, Siddhartha and Saathvik, but they enjoyed to their heart’s content at Barsana Dham, playing with the peacocks there.

BABA'S GRACE AND BLESSINGS

No sooner did I complete my last post, got the information of a similar event happening in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh. This information is provided in the May 2010 issue of Sri Sai Darshan magazine.

Sri Alla Nageshwara Rao lives in the village Subhadrayyamma Peta. This village is in the Tuni Mandal of East Godavari District. Like his fellow village men, he is also a simple person, hailing from a very ordinary family. His living was also very simple as he did not have any ancestral property.

The only thing he knew was to sing, melodious devotional songs. Every evening, he would go on top of the nearest hill, select a comfortable place, sit there and sing songs. Occasionally, he would take other children and made them also sing devotional songs. Other than this, he was not tainted by the so called wisdom of the world.

Without his knowledge, one day, Baba blessed him. And in no time, Nageshwar Rao had built a temple for Baba on the same hill on which he used to sing songs. A beautiful Baba idol was also installed. When asked if this was not a task beyond his capabilities, the answer is simple, like the person himself.

“You yourself are saying that the task was beyond my capability. Then how do you think the task was completed? You are thinking that I have done it. But there is no power greater than the power of Baba in this world. I did nothing. Baba himself built this temple. He made all the noble minded people to donate lakhs of rupees and completed the temple.”

The villagers visit the temple every day. No day dawns for them without the darshan of Baba. In fact, the villagers have changed the name of their village from Subhadrayyamma Peta to Chinna Shirdi (small Shirdi).

A parallel event which happened in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh as recently as last year, wherein I was involved from the very initial stage is narrated below.

I met Sri Venkatesh, for the first time, in an exhibition more than 15 years ago. The exhibition was the annual All India Industrial Exhibition conducted every year in the month of January. He had put up a small stall dedicated to Sri Shirdi Sai Baba. A notice proclaimed that Baba’s Prasadam would be delivered at home for a small amount of Rs. 11/-. I thought that the amount was too small for the service being rendered and immediately registered. From the next month onwards till now, I have been getting Baba’s Prasadam at my home and during these long years my friendship with Venkatesh has also grown considerably.

To my surprise, I found out that Venkatesh does not do anything else for his livelihood. He has a mother, a wife and two small baby girls to support. Every month he goes to Shirdi by train, collects the Prasadam there, brings it to Hyderabad and delivers to all the devotees through out the month. Even if he has a clientele of one thousand devotees, a monthly income of Rs.11, 000/- is too meager to sustain himself and the family. The most stunning fact is that, he has unflinching faith in Baba and does not believe in working for anyone else. And he can talk only in Telugu.

Last year, may be in the summer months, one of the devotees, Sri Visveshwara Rao told Venkatesh that he would give him 200 Sq yds of vacant land in which a temple for Baba should be built. The land is several kms after Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. Anyone who has knowledge of Hyderabad can understand the location. There is no house or any human movement within the purview of the human eye. I tried to dissuade him from the project, but Venakatesh was very firm. He said that Baba wanted a temple there and a temple there will be. Then things began to happen. People came flocking to help the construction work.

On the Vijayadashami day of 2009, the foundation stone was laid and the temple is ready to be inaugurated in the month of June 2010. It appears that the gram panchayat have come forward to offer another 2,000 sq yds of land behind the temple for the temple activities.

Would all these efforts have been possible without the explicit grace of Baba? Rajesh, Nageshwara Rao, and Venkatesh, to name only few, who are utterly simple and highly devoted, have immortality conferred on them by Baba himself!!!!

SHIRDI SAI BABA IN KARNATAKA - PART 5

Some more photos are added here to show the isolated place where Rajesh lives with Baba. The photo on the left shows the pathway used by Baba on the morning of 09 September 2007. The one above on the right shows the backwaters of Hemavathi river.

SHIRDI SAI BABA IN KARNATAKA - PART 4

(The photo shows the place where Baba sat)

Rajesh and his friend Nagarjuna came to Bangalore on 19 May and I went and received them. My impression of Rajesh, at that time, was that he looked totally like someone out of this world. He was direct, simple and full of affection. His eyes were blazing and very rarely he batted his eyelids. He and Nagarjuna stayed with us for nearly four hours. At the time of leaving, he asked me to bring a particular girl with a pink frock. I was surprised as I had not paid any attention to anyone other than Rajesh. After some searching, I located the girl and brought her. As soon as the attention turned on the girl, the girl’s mother was scared and she also came to Rajesh. Rajesh told her that the girl would experience some health hazard and that Baba had provided a remedy also. The parents are to take the girl to Shirdi, get her teertham at Dwarakamai, and then sit there in meditation for a few minutes. That would cure the girl of the problem. Rajesh also told them that Baba had asked him to tell this to the parents, though Rajesh himself was not for telling this, this being not very pleasant information.

If ever a proof was needed for Baba being active even after His Samadhi, this was one. All the names given above are real. Any or all of them can be contacted over the following mobile numbers:

1. Sri Rajesh - +919343291342
2. Sri Nagarjuna - +919741105026
3. Sri Krishna Murthy - +919490956511
4. Sri Srinivas - +919880333479

In a recent mail, Rajesh adds:

"It was the month of February 2008. Our farm has one open well of 31 feet deep, 18 feet radius and one bore well of 240 feet depth. Both are having plenty of water. I was using only the bore well for both drinking and agriculture. We were not using the water from the well as it was stagnant and green in colour due to fungal growth. I was afraid to use it for cooking and drinking purpose. The well could be seen next to the building on the right side of the photograph. (The photo also shows the pathway taken by Baba on that September morning in 2007)

One day, due to voltage fluctuation, the motor of the bore well was burnt and there was no water for either drinking or agriculture. I requested Baba, after pooja, about this. He advised me to collect 7 flowers from Baba's Idol and drop the flowers, one by one reciting the names of holy rivers, Ganga, Yamuna, Godhavari, Saraswathi, Narmada, Sindhu and Cauvery. I did as told by Baba. It was Monday. Later he told me not to go near the well for three days. After three days i.e., on Thursday I went with my wife Mangala and peeped into the well, only to find crystal clear water in the well. At that time there was water for 22 ft out of 31 Feet. The water was available at 9ft itself. I came running to temple and prostrated at the feet of Baba. He said, “Use it”. Since then we are using only the water from the well and not from the bore well. Whoever drinks the water not only quenches his thirst but is also cured of skin problems, if any."

SHIRDI SAI BABA IN KARNATAKA - PART 3

It is not that Baba has been kind always to Rajesh. There are occasions when He punished Rajesh very severely by beating him with His satka. Once, Baba told him to wait for one of His devotees who was coming. Rajesh waited till 3.00pm and assuming that the devotee may not turn up, he went for some other work. The devotee came half an hour late and waited for Rajesh for nearly an hour and left. When Rajesh returned, Baba bet him with his satka below his right kneecap. The satka made a cut and it started bleeding. Rajesh apologized for the inadvertent slip and begged Baba for mercy. The bleeding stopped, but the cut can still be seen.

Rajesh has a friend, Sri Nagarjuna. He was working in Secunderabad, and is a staunch Baba devotee. Baba got him posted to Tumkur, so that he could be of help to Rajesh. Rajesh asked Nagarjuna to visit Sri Sai Baba temple at Siddipet in Andhra Pradesh and meet Sri Krishna Murthy. Sri Nagarjuna visited the Siddipet temple and talked to Sri Krishna Murthy and later met him at his residence in Hyderabad. Sri Krishna Murthy called me for three consecutive days, but for various reasons, I was not available. Then he called in the evening of the fourth day and told me that he wanted to narrate a great miracle. I asked him to come over, as these could not be talked over in detail over a telephone. He came a few minutes later on and told me all the details. Then he connected me to Rajesh over my mobile. As he knew Kannada very well, I talked to Rajesh in Kannada and Rajesh was overjoyed to tell me about his experiences. He later gave my number to his friend Nagarjuna who was at that time in Hyderabad itself. I met Nagarjuna next day at his residence and heard the details once again.

I narrated all these strange but true happenings to Sri Srinivas in Bangalore. Srinivas is also a Sai devotee. Over the weekend he went with his family to Rajesh’s place and saw the temple, the idol and the surroundings. He took photographs of the same and sent them to me. He invited Rajesh to his residence on 19 May 2010, the day being his birthday. Srinivas told Rajesh that I would also be coming to Bangalore for the birthday and Rajesh could also meet me.

SHIRDI SAI BABA IN KARNATAKA - PART 2

(Photo shows the outside view of the Temple)
Then the moment came for installing the idol of Baba. Rajesh did not know from where to get it. Baba once again guided him and told him to go to Shirdi for the idol. Next day, Rajesh went to Tumkur and was enquiring about how to go to Shirdi. Different people told him different methods. An old man, chewing mouthful of pan, called him and asked him if he wanted to go to Shirdi. When Rajesh confirmed, the old man asked him to go to Pune where a tonga would be waiting for him and would take him to Shirdi. When he reached Shirdi, Rajesh was stunned by seeing so many people. He was standing in front of Dwarakamai. He did not know where to go and how to buy. Once again the same fakir who came to his house was there. He warned Rajesh that people in Shirdi would cut his purse and rob him. He advised him to go to a particular shop and buy the first idol he saw. Rajesh bought the idol. It was very heavy. Without thinking any further about visiting the Samadhi Mandir or Dwarakamai, he returned back to his place.

So far, so good. Rajesh could not get anyone to install the idol and he did not know any mantras. Baba guided him not only for the installation, but He taught him how to do daily puja also. After some more days, Baba asked him to quit his job and dedicate himself to Baba. Rajesh argued that he had two young daughters who had to be brought up and groomed. Baba asked him to have faith in Him and not to worry. Rajesh duly resigned his job. He spent all his time in Baba’s service. After a few months, time came for paying the examination fees of his daughters. Rajesh needed Rs. 3, 000. He told Baba, “I have followed your instructions, see, what has happened now. I do not have any money to pay the fees.” Baba told him not to worry. He asked Rajesh to put his fingers in the slit of the cloth tied to the hundi vessel and take out three times whatever came without opening the cloth completely. Rajesh thought that this was another of Baba’s jokes. There had been no visitor for the past several days, and at most the vessel might contain a fiver or a tenner. However, he followed the instructions and placed his fingers inside the vessel and lifted out a one thousand rupee note. He repeated it two more times and removed, in all, three thousand rupees. Baba then asked him to go and pay the fees. Rajesh was diffident. He told Baba that it was His money and how he could use it. Baba asked him not to worry and pay the fees immediately. Since that moment, Rajesh’s duty has been to visit Baba’s devotees as per Baba’s directions and give them Baba’s instructions.

SHIRDI SAI BABA IN KARNATAKA

Devotees are often in the habit of falling into the trap of disbelief and loss of faith. It is during these times that Baba manifests Himself and redeems his devotees. The following is a great example of the same during very recent times.

Rajesh was living with his wife, Mangala and two young daughters - Harshita aged 14 years and Reema aged 9 years - n Mallasandra, somewhere between Tumkur and Gubbi. He was a Kannada teacher in Aryan High School in Tumkur. Rajesh had a farm and a farm house nearly 8 kms from Mallasandra. Off late, he found out that the farm produce was being stolen by someone unknown to him. So, he decided to move into the farm house and take care of the farm. The farm house was an excuse of a house. It had bare brick walls, without any plastering and a zinc sheet for a roof. The cooking gas was absent and all the cooking had to be done by burning the firewood. Rajesh used to commute by public transport to Tumkur – his place of work. Photo above shows Rajesh's house.

Life went on uneventfully till that September morning in 2007. It was a cold winter morning, and the time was nearly 5.00 am. The farm house had a wooden compound and a wicket gate. At that time, a simple looking fakir opened the gate, entered the verandah of the house and sat there. Rajesh’s wife, who got up early everyday, saw the fakir entering through the gate and was terrified. The farm house was a lonely structure there and as far as the eye could see, there was no other house anywhere near. There was no approach road to the farm house and the house could be reached only by walking through the fields. Because of the loneliness, she was scared of any unknown attacks and woke up her husband. By the time Rajesh could come out, the fakir was sitting on a stone and mumbling something to himself. When he saw Rajesh, he asked for some rotis as he was hungry. He indicated his stomach and asked for food. As the morning was cold, Rajesh’s wife thought that it would be good to offer some hot tea and then think of food. The fakir agreed for the tea and waited. When both Rajesh and his wife went inside to prepare tea, the fakir, meanwhile went to the farm and began making some gestures with his fingers in the air. He had the tea and then asked for rotis. He took out a packet of lemon rice, which was steaming hot. By the time anyone comes from the road to the house, any hot item would have become cold. Even after lapse of so much of time, the steam was coming out. Rajesh thought that that was a miracle. The fakir told him that the lemon rice was for his lunch and he wanted something to eat immediately. Rajesh’s wife, however, was hesitating to prepare the rotis. The fakir saw this and told them that as they did not want to prepare the rotis, he was going and then got up and left. While he had gone a few steps, Rajesh’s wife felt some compassion and asked her husband to give some money to the fakir so that he could eat something at the nearby hotel. Rajesh ran, patted the fakir on the back and gave him a five rupee coin and asked him to eat something in a nearby hotel. The fakir smiled and said, “Baba will bless you”.

That night Rajesh had a dream. The fakir who came in the morning appeared in the dream and said that he was none other than the Sai Baba of Shirdi, and that Rajesh had failed to recognize him. He also told that He had made markings in his farm for the construction of a temple and asked Rajesh to build a temple for Him. Rajesh thought that it was a very crude joke as he had no money at all. He told the same to Baba. Then Baba told him, “Why do you worry when I am here!” Next morning, the first thing Rajesh did was to check his farm. There were clear white markings on the farm, indicating where the idol should be placed and the outer boundary of the temple. After a few days, an unknown gentleman gave Rajesh Rs.40, 000 for the construction of the temple. Rajesh was a typical villager and did not know anything about either Sai Baba or how to go about the process of building a temple. He was a simple man who knew only the basics of maintaining himself and his family. He was totally perplexed about what was happening to him. When he told this to Baba, He appeared once again in Rajesh’s dream and gave him the name of a mason in a neighboring town. Rajesh went there as instructed and found that no one existed by that name. Finally he asked someone about the mason. The person was surprised and asked Rajesh how he got this name. This name was the pet name of the mason, as he was called by his relatives. Rajesh then came to know that he was talking to the mason himself. The mason was happy that Baba had referred his name and told Rajesh that he would build the temple without charging anything for labour but Rajesh should give him the materials. Thus a temple was built for Baba.

navi BOMBAY

After hovering over for some time, the aircraft finally landed in the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport of Mumbai. I am one of those old fossils who still like to call Mumbai as Bombay. It evokes fond memories of bygone days when my father and his brothers found what they were looking for – recognition, money and comfort. It was also the place where my primary education began. My mind was going over all these thoughts when my cousin Rama called me and asked me to get into the car. The car sped to Gokuldham in Goregaon East.

Rama is the youngest of my cousins. She has gone through much in life by way of pain and suffering. She has two daughters – Aparna, who is well settled in USA and is working on nano technology and Sahana, who is well on her way to become one of the leading professional accountants in Mumbai. Rama’s husband is an important person and controls the money you and I use. Sahana was waiting for us in the flat.

Life in Mumbai is very different from life in other cities of India. People from all over the country come here and live as if they belong to the same place. Every apartment is a mini India. Every one in these apartments treats the other as their own and also believes that their flats, like their minds, do not have any walls. There is a cute little boy called Veehan living in the flat opposite to Rama’s. The second day of our visit was spent in celebrating the first birthday of Veehan. His parents are from Jammu and Kashmir and Veehan stays mostly with Rama and Sahana.

That evening, Rama had promised me, would be the beginning of our Mumbai Darshan. The driver thought otherwise and found a greener pasture elsewhere. He did not turn up at the scheduled time. Rama wanted to compensate for this and took us to Juhu beach. Among the many memories I have of Bombay, Juhu is one. My youngest uncle, Venu brought his bride Saraswati regularly to this beach. In addition to the cool breeze from the sea, the beach also provided some privacy which they could not get at home. The so called home was nothing more than a single room, and at that time, there were ten relatives staying in that room. Number 13, Mohammed Younus Building on Lady Jamshetji Road (presently NC Kelkar Road) in Dadar West was like the Pushpak Viman. It had enough space for one more even after ten were inside. Toilets were common, never cleaned for years together, and the bath room was an excuse of small washing place, with a mini partition. Whenever a lady took bath, all the rest had to wait outside. Being a frequent visitor by then to Bombay, I also accompanied Venu to the Juhu beach.

What I saw now really flabbergasted me. Earlier, we enjoyed the sea and the breeze, now it is only a sea of humanity. The waters and the sea are to be seen only through a binocular. The bajjis and bondas of those days have vanished and a new conglomeration of shops selling the popular chatmasalas has come over. After waiting for half an hour, we decided to move on and went to nearby ISKCON Temple. Though not as big as the one in Bangalore, the temple is impressive with its huge chandelier. From there we returned to Gokuldham. The autorickshaw drivers impressed me with their abundant patience and honesty. In spite of my irritating questions, they answered me very politely and explained me as they would to a new born baby.

The next day, driver Srinivas did turn up and not only that, he came exactly at the time he had specified. Rama and Sahana joined in my quest for the good old days. Sahana told us that it would be auspicious to begin this voyage after the darshan of Siddhivinayak at Prabhadevi. I was in for another shock. I am not a total agnostic, but having visited many temples, I thought that the darshan would be over in no time and we could continue. I have heard many cribs that the new generation has lost all veneration and is going the West way. What I saw at the temple reaffirmed my faith in the generation next. It took us more than an hour to have darshan and an identical time to come out of the temple. Most of the persons flocking for darshan were youngsters with a basket containing all the paraphernalia needed to have darshan of god. I was also surprised that when we were crawling in the queue, a volunteer picked me and sent me inside by a faster route, a rare courtesy indeed! The management of the temple and the humane consideration there left me speechless. Seldom do we find such courtesies in temples much more famous than Siddhivinayak where we are bandied about like cattle.

We next went to Hindmata Cinema in Dadar East. Hindmata Cinema - where I had enjoyed films like “Har Har Mahadev” starring late Nirupa Roy as Parvati and Trilok Kapoor as lord Shiva – has, of course, been razed and a new shopping complex has come up. I have always wondered about Shiva. He is clean shaven in almost all Hindi movies and is fully bearded in South Indian movies. If not the beard, he will at least have a neatly trimmed moustache. The lane adjoining the Modern Times Restaurant, leads to a double storied building on the right known as Kayaji Building. It was with number 17 on the first floor of this building that most of my memories are associated.

My father - though a gold medalist from Central College, Bangalore University - could not find a suitable job there. To support my mother and me, he moved over to Bombay at the invitation of his second brother, Ramu. Ramu at that time was the sole occupant of 17, KB (Kayaji Building). He was working as an Asst Manager in India Coffee Board, and was looking after the welfare of one of their Coffee Houses at MG Road. He had great affection for me and greater admiration for his eldest brother. We four lived there for some three years. During this period my father supported us by selling “Kolber” pens on Mohammed Ali Road. He also worked part time as a steno to one Mr SS Kapoor, who was involved in Export & Import Business. I had just completed five years. It was time to get into a school and my father admitted me to a Mangalorean school nearby. Whenever I went to the classroom, there was precious little I understood. The teacher there - like my wife - had a knack of asking me only those questions which I could never answer. This led me to a stage where I actively began planning to avoid going to school without my parents in anyway getting wise about it. The only consoling thought for me was that the school definitely is not there now, but the building is intact.

After a couple of years, my father’s first brother, Sundara and his family joined us. His daughter, Leela was younger than me by a couple of years, and as was the custom, she was very loyal to the elder cousin. She did not plan any ventures on her own, and always consulted me before launching any action. Whenever guests visited us, Leela and I would go into the park adjacent to 17KB and spend some jolly good time. That park has lost all of its lawn and is presently used to house only some shops. My heart bled for the good old days! Coming back to the present, the lady in 15 KB invited us and narrated many incidents connected with my family and was very particular that we should have meals at her place. Smt Savitri, the resident of 15 KB, is more than 70 years and is still very active in treating guests like me. The love and affection she showed brought tears to my eyes!!

Ramu then moved to 13, Mohammed Younus Building (MYB), which was simpler than 17KB. It had only one room. By then, my grandfather and grandmother had joined us. My father, meanwhile, had secured a job as head master of Hamdard High School in Raichur and we moved from Bombay to Raichur. It was mandatory, therefore, for me to see if 13 MYB still existed.

After a couple of days, driver Srinivas sent his friend, Raju, for the next visit to the past. Things have changed over the years, landmarks have changed and it was quite a task to locate the place. The greatest landmark, however, is still there – the Plaza Cinema - on NCKelkar Road. The entrance to 13 MYB is by the lane adjoining Jyoti lunch home. Climbed up the stairs and hesitatingly asked an old lady whether it was the same MYB. She was panicky and called her husband. Sri Milind S Mulay somehow recollected all those days and was very prompt in recognizing me. The couple were very affectionate and were insisting on my having dinner with them. The daughter in law prepared an excellent “adrak ka chai” and added some biscuits. The hospitality shown by them was something which I cannot forget in whatever is left of my life. A total stranger being so nice and kind to another stranger is something to be experienced only in Bombay. I had to bow my head in respect and adoration to the love and affection I received from them.

Any visit to Bombay, even from my childhood, was incomplete without a visit to Mumbadevi temple in Bhuleshwar and Mahalakshmi temple in Mahalakshmi. When we went to the Mahalakshmi temple a couple of days earlier, the crowd was so huge that it was impossible to even enter the temple after waiting for about five to six hours in the queue. Even now, it was not all that easy, but we could just make it before the temple closed for aarati. The path to the sea has been barricaded, which was not the case earlier, maybe for security reasons. We returned to Gokuldham via the Worli Bandra Sea Link. The drive was a real pleasure. The skyline reminded me of the skyline of New York while going on a boat to the statue of Liberty. Both the approach roads to the Sea Link are eight lanes and were a big relief for someone used to congested streets of other places. The Sea Link is another marvel of the technological development our country has made.

Our next visit was to the local Gokuldham Temple Complex. Built in the middle of the road on an elevated platform, the Complex houses many small temples and is very spacious and designed to invoke immediate devotion in any visitor. The panditjis there are very cordial and have no intention whatsoever to fleece an innocent visitor like me. In fact, the Hundis are built into the walls and the panditjis politely point to the hundi for any cash to be deposited.

Having gone to Mumbai and not seeing a movie, well, was not in my genes. My grandmother was a great fan of Indian movies, and this trait has been passed on down the line to my grandchildren as well. We saw Paa and were impressed. It was also the time for the release of Avatar in 3D. How could we miss such a movie? We saw that also. My only regret was that I could not see it in IMAX at Wadala.

It was time for us to leave Mumbai. The trip which I had been very keen to make had given me the all that I had asked for. It showed me that the people in the new era in the ultra modern city of the country have their hearts at the right place and the old Bombay flavour was still there. I was also happy to learn, once again, that the younger generation has not lost its moorings and is not a meaningless wandering lot. The western gloss is undoubtedly there but the heart basically is Indian. The revelation, however, was in all of my travel, I never saw anyone jump the signal even when there was no policeman around and the traffic was consciously maintaining discipline. The trip brought back my childhood days – “koyi lauta de mere beete huye din” - Mumbai gave me back my Bombay!!

Valentine's Day-2009

Following is a beautiful poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning(1806-1861) for the Valentine's Day

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Indian Desis Employed in America (IDEA)

We are a group of six friends. We became friends because our sons are friends. All these six boys have passed engineering from the same university with the same branch. All of them got their post graduation from an american university and subsequently got jobs in the same city in america. Their story is same as the stories of hundreds of indians who came to america. The parents have lot of affection for their sons, the sons also have the same affection and regard for their parents. One day they got married. Not on the same day, but each on different days. That, by itself, is no great deal. Any one has to get married and they also got married.

In the good old days of the parents, the grooms thought that marriage is a stage in one's life and a new member joined the family. Life, then went on as usual. The person's thinking or his perspective about himself or his family did not alter. Nor did his priorities change. The good old parent's days are, fortunately, over.

The moment the boys got married, they thought that the world consists only of themselves and their newly got wives. Not collectively, but individually. Every boy thought that he and his wife are sole occupants of the universe. Their wives, this time collectively and not individually,thought that the parents of their husbands are expendable like the used tissue paper, so common in america. The parents were meant to hand over their husbands to them and, once the job is done, should disappear into the trash bins from where they had come. The husband's parents should be found only in the trash bins, once again, so common in america. Though parents of the boy did not hide in trash bins, the treatment they got was no great shakes. The parents realized this change slowly but definitely.

Obviously, they did not relish the idea of being confined to the trash bins. The situation was not to their liking. They thought that they would gain a daughter, but had not bargained for losing their sons and staying in the trash bins. The rift widened.

The boys started thinking that their life consisted only of making the wife and her parents happy. Their life time ambitions, thus, got modified.

This is the same story with most of the indian desis employed in america. The parents of the girl gain a son (winning a jackpot without buying a ticket) where as the parents of son, lose a son and in the process of losing, are made to lose their self respect also. Isn't that a tragedy? The people who shed their sweat and blood to see that their sons have better opportunities than themselves and sacrificed their everything for the sake of their sons, are left with no options.

That is the effect of 'foreign education'. An indian parent with his son in india, may struggle, may be poor also, but he can still claim his son as his own.

the best part of life

The period after retirement from active service, at the age of 60 years in india, is really the best part of life. For many of us, all the responsibilities of life would have been taken care of. Like the marriage of daughters, employment and marriage of sons and similar activities. Most of us also get good pension so that the couple can live a good life. When such is the situation, how many persons actually take up work that will become a trialblazer? To what extent these persons are helped by both govt and non govt organizations? Have any activities been listed out? After all, nowadays, 60 is not an age to become a vegetable. Lot of creative energy is still left. You can put in your thoughts on this aspect!!